Festive bid to push up West Norfolk recycling levels

Published:09:57Wednesday 02 December 2015

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New guides are to be issued to West Norfolk residents in a bid to increase recycling rates over the Christmas period.

The information will be distributed over the coming weeks, alongside bin collection calendars for the festive season and special stickers for green bins detailing everything that can be recycled in them.

Brian Long, West Norfolk Council’s cabinet member for environment, said the move followed a survey earlier this year which suggested residents wanted information about how to re-use more of the waste they generate.

He said: “We are really grateful for the effort local people have taken to raise recycling rates, which have doubled in the last 10 years.

“With the help of our residents we are aiming to improve our recycling rate to meet and exceed the government and EU target of 50 per cent of our waste being recycled by 2020.”

The Norfolk Waste Partnership, of which the borough council is a member, is also planning its own campaign to boost the level of plastics that are recycled.

But, during last Thursday’s full council meeting, Labour leader John Collop claimed the level of use of food waste caddies introduced by the borough in April 2013 was falling in his area.

Mr Long admitted the amount of food waste being collected had dropped and said he had asked officers to prepare a report on participation levels across the borough.

But he said a reduction had been expected, suggesting that changes in people’s food shopping habits may be a contributing factor.

He added: “I’m going to do what I can to encourage the public to take part and I hope you will too.”

He also claimed county waste officials wanted to see the service adopted by all Norfolk’s district councils.